Hina in Cameroon

Introduction / History

Sandwiched between Nigeria and Chad in a region that Cameroonians call the "Far North," settlements of Hina clan groups dot the countryside. Their language is Mina, so they are sometimes called by that name.

What Are Their Lives Like?

When the short rainy season comes, Hina farmers work hard with hand tools and plows to plant and harvest what their families will eat for the rest of the year. In addition to needed vegetables and staples, some grow cotton as a cash crop. After the rains end, withering heat will scorch whatever is left in the fields.

They spend most of their time outside in this dusty sub-Saharan Sahel, storing their limited material goods and sleeping in family huts. Isolated from reliable government services, children usually help in the fields or tend younger siblings rather than attend school.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Over several centuries, the Hina people have gradually conceded to waves of invasion pressing them to accept another world religion. Today, that faith claims a solid majority of devotees among the Hina. Life revolves around ritual, but few comprehend the beliefs of Islam, relying instead on traditional practices for which they use their own language.

What Are Their Needs?

Administrators are working with a local language committee that has been authorized by the government among the Hina to develop their language. The project will produce mother tongue materials, making portions of the Old Testament also accepted by Muslims available to Mina speakers.

Prayer Points

Praise God for biblical materials in the Mina language!

Text Source:   Joshua Project